Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thankful.....

As a kid, I don't think I fully understood Thanksgiving. What asked what I was thankful for one year, I said my dog. As a teenager, I don't think I ever said I was thankful for my family (I was rebellious). But now as an adult, living on my own, I'm thankful a lot of things- my family, friends, job, and my inner strength.This year has been rough. Moving, breaking up, getting a job and in the beginning it all seemed so hard. I didn't know if I would make it sometimes, but I pushed through with the help of friends and family.And while today, I will be working and missing from my family's table. I will be at a friends. Plus, a coworker and I are bringing in dinner for the people on duty. It won't be a feast by any means, but it is something. More than nothing.I'm making my famous Upside-Down Butterscotch Apple Sour Cream Cake. I made it 2 years ago and was a huge hit among friends and family. I hope it will be the same here.

For cake:Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until blended. Beat in flour mixture, then sour cream. Stir in chopped apple. Set aside while preparing butterscotch-caramel apples.

For butterscotch-caramel apples:Melt butter in 10-inch-diameter nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar and butterscotch morsels; stir until melted and smooth and mixture is bubbling, about 2 minutes. Add apple slices to skillet and cook until golden brown, using tongs to turn slices, about 3 minutes per side (there will be a lot of liquid in skillet). Remove skillet from heat and let cool 3 minutes. Using tongs, arrange apple slices in skillet in concentric circles or other pattern.

Carefully spoon cake batter in small dollops atop apples in skillet. Using offset spatula, gently spread batter evenly to edges of skillet (batter will seem to float on top of apples and pan juices). Bake until cake is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in skillet 10 minutes. Run knife around edges of cake to loosen. Place large platter atop skillet. Using oven mitts or pot holders, hold platter and skillet firmly together and invert, allowing cake to settle onto platter. Serve cake warm.